


Live & Love

by boppinbarty



Category: BanG Dream! Girl's Band Party! (Video Game)
Genre: Confessions, F/F, First Kiss, Fluff, Happy Ending, Light Angst, except not really, its big sad hours, youll see what i mean later
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-03
Updated: 2019-03-17
Packaged: 2019-10-21 10:55:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17641430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boppinbarty/pseuds/boppinbarty
Summary: It was a picture of Maya and her long gone friend, Eve, peacefully reading a book under the shade of an oak tree. An abdundance of dandelions dotted the lucious strands of green grass, matching bracelets, Eve’s signature twin braids, and the two girls smiling brightly at the photographer who Maya remembered to be her mom could be seen in the photo. Butterscotch, who'd grown quite a lot since the photo was taken, was cuddled against the crease of her legs.She never knew how a single picture could open so many old wounds.





	1. Childhood Memories

Eve tore open her packet of fruit gummies, anxious to taste the sweet and artificial flavors held within. She was smart enough to know, however, that this had to be done in secrecy. The fellow students in her class had a knack for asking to take "one", usually meaning three; and she was way too nice to ever deny them. While on a quick look around the colorful classroom, a girl from her class could be seen laying stomach first on the rug. If she remembered correctly, her name was Maya or something of the sort. The girl looked like she was reading a book by herself. 'Isn't she lonely?' Eve thought to herself. It was already almost the end of the first month in second grade and from her field of memory, Maya didn't interact much with any of the other kids, usually opting to read by herself. Luckily, the silver-haired girl wasn't busy at the time. This day forth, she promised, this girl would be her best friend, even if it's the last thing she does! Eve clutched the pack of fruit gummies tightly in her fist and made her way to the other girl. 

Her first order of business: to get Maya's attention. A friendship doesn't start if your friend doesn't know you exist, after all. But she didn't want to disturb or scare the girl by tapping her shoulder or yelling in her ear. So the second grader sat in front of the brunette, hoping that she would stray from her intense focus on her book for once. Yet she didn't seem to sense Eve in any way. Remaining patient until the girl looked up, whenever that will be, Eve's green eyes took the opportunity to investigate her soon-to-be best friend. Maya had black glasses on, automatically signaling that she was probably at least reasonably smart. Medium-length hair, messy bangs which seemed to cover her eyes, and was reading a book on desert animals judging by an upside down photo of two giraffes eating from a tree. It didn't seem like Maya was ever going to tear her eyes away from the page; it was time for Eve to take action.

"Whatcha reading?" she asked. Apparently her "calm and subtle" approach didn't work because the girl in front of her nearly jumped halfway across the room in fright. Maya seemed to calm down a bit though once she saw it was only one of her peers. She adjusted the glasses that almost feel off her face.

"O-oh, it's about the Sahara Desert, it's really cool!" She lifted the book from off the ground and flipped it to face the other girl. On the bottom right corner was a picture of a group of zebras drinking collectively from a pool of water. The fancy stripes of the zebras immediately captured Eve's interest, completely sidetracking her initial plan.

"Woah! Can I read too?" 

"Yea!" Maya sat up from her comfortable position and shuffled to align herself with Eve. She dragged her bag of carrot sticks from their former place to her side. 

While the two continues their reading session, the silver-haired girl could see her partner eyeing her bag of fruit gummies on occasion. Being the ever kind person she was, Eve couldn't just watch as her new friend gazed at the bag longingly. In quiet she mourned for the loss of yet another fruit gummy, given away. The bag was extended towards Maya, who looked up in confusion through her bespectacled eyes. 

"You can take one if you want, you know," Eve offered. 

"Sorry, my mom said I'm not allowed to have those..." 

"One wouldn't hurt!" She emptied a red fruit gummy into her hand, placing it into Maya's slightly pudgier hands. Maya placed the snack into her mouth, chewing it, before smiling a bit. A success for Eve! The remainder of the break was spent enjoying their book together.

* * *

"M-maya..." Eve's gaze was locked on a bush situated behind the two friends. They were currently outside at Eve's backyard while her dad was seated on the porch, taking a nap. 

"Yea?" Maya replied, her attention still concentrated on the book she and Eve was reading. The brilliant sun above illuminated the words displayed on each paper page. Today it was a book about the samurai of feudal Japan. Since the start of their now one year old friendship, it's become a daily tradition to read books together that Maya borrows from the local library. Though the girls spend most of their time talking whenever they hang out, their favorite activity would certainly be spending a few minutes out of their day to read. 

"I think the bush just growled at us," the silver-haired girl stood up from her spot and moved to her friend's other side. She's pretty sure that there's nothing seriously dangerous in the bush, but that thought did nothing to calm her nerves. The boys in her class would always share stories of real life animals that lurk within bushes before snatching their prey. A nervous shiver echoed through her spine at the thought of a tarantula climbing out from the bush.

"Eve, it's probably just the wind..."

"What if it's not 'just the wind' though? It could be a snake or something!" She extended her arms outwards to emphasize the certain and grave danger they'd be in if they didn't check what was in the bush at that very moment.

"Snakes don't growl," Maya said, giving a little chuckle at the end. Almost on cue the same noise repeated itself, but it didn't sound like a growl like Eve said. Eve let out a shriek and hid behind Maya, shivering. Obviously, that wasn't just the wind. 

The brunette stood up, grabbing the other girl's hand in courage. "We'll open it together," she said with as much seriousness as a surgeon undergoing an operation. Not long into their friendship it was apparent that Eve was jumpy when it came to suspenseful situations. She placed her small fingers on the edge of a branch, only inches away from whatever beast lay within it. "On a count of three." Maya flashed her friend a reassuring grin. Eve nodded in return. 

"One"

"Two..." the brunette tightened her grip on the branch, ready to lift it up.

"Three!" 

The branch was yanked upwards in an instant revealing a small kitten. It's matted fur was stained with a darker brown, but judging by the patches of orange and black against a white coat, it was most likely a calico. The cat stared at the two young girls through green eyes. Maya let go of Eve's hand to kneel down onto the grass and observe what they've found. She picked up the kitten by it's torso, bringing it closer to her chest in a cradle. The kitten was accepting and nestled into the warmth of Maya's embrace. A tear threatened to spill from the corner of her eye. "Oh my god." 

Eve followed suit, falling on both knees to take a closer look at the kitten. "It's so cute!" she held her left hand close to her chest, "You think we could keep it?" She used her free hand to pet the kitten and feel the rigid texture of its fur.

"We'd have to ask first, though."

"And we know my dad wouldn't allow us." Eve's father was strict on terms of pets and simply wouldn't give his daughter a chance if she brought in yet another animal from outside. She learned her lesson from when she brought in a frog she found by the lake near her house. He said something about not wanting to dirty the house. 

"I guess I'll ask my mom, then. Maybe she'll be okay with this if we ask her enough?" Maya looked towards the other girl, enthusiasm present in her pupils. If it wasn't possible, her eyes lit up even more, "We'll have to name it first!" The kitten looked up at the girl holding it, almost as if it heard and understood what it's new adoptive owners were saying.

* * *

It was a few months after the cat incident, and the girls were playing truth or dare with their new cat, Butterscotch, curled by Eve’s side, comfortable and clean. They were currently at Maya’s home since Eve’s father was out of town to run some late night errands. 

“Ok, truth or dare?” Maya asked, leaning forward.

Eve shifted from side to her side in her seated position on the bed. She wrapped the blanket tighter around herself. Her eyes floated to the top of her head while she was thinking. “Dare!” 

“Huehuehue...” Maya giggled, she had a few ideas in her mind already. “I dare you...” she paused for dramatic effect, “to do cartwheels down the entire street!” 

Eve gasped. Wasn’t that a bit dangerous? But she’s not one to chicken out of a challenge. “Ok, where do I start?” 

Maya pointed to the edge of the block. “There, just cartwheel all the way down to the end. Don’t try to cheat it either, I’ll be looking out the window to make sure you did it.” She got up from her position on the bed leaned on the edge of the balcony to demonstrate.

Although the comfort of the blanket and the cat snuggled at her side was begging her to remain where she was, alas, what had to be done had to be done. Eve felt guilty for throwing the blanket off of her, causing Butterscotch to scramble from underneath the blanket. She swung her legs off the bed and immediately left through the entrance to Maya’s room. 

Luckily, Maya’s mom was at work and her dad was asleep on the couch, making it a whole lot easier to sneak out the house. 

Once she was outside, she walked onto the grass and looked back at the house. Maya’s silhouette was in the window, keeping an eye on her. Eve made sure to stay on the grass, lifting her hands up in the air to prepare for her first flip. Adrenaline pumping through her veins, she reached downwards in a flash, the other hand and both legs following through. It was a little sloppy, but at least she got the first done. Each time she completed a cartwheel, it got easier and easier until she was tumbling with ease.

* * *

“That was amazing!” Maya exclaimed, practically jumping out her seat. “How’d you do all that and not get dizzy?”

“My head’s still spinning...” eve held a hand on top of her head. “Anyways, it’s my turn now, truth or dare?” 

“Truth.” It took no hesitation for her to answer.

“Wow, boring!” Eve teased light heartedly.

“Just ask the question.” Maya rolled her eyes. 

“Ok, ok!” Eve picked up the blanket she left on the floor and wrapped it around herself again. It took her a second to think of a worthy question to ask her friend. Once she thought of one, a mischievous smirk danced across her face. Maya gave a look of confusion. “Is there anyone in our grade that you like?” Eve leaned in closer to coax an answer out of her. 

Maya tilted her head, a look of confusion flashing across her face. “What do you mean ‘like’?” 

“You know,” she leaned in closer to whisper in Maya’s ear. “Like-like.” 

She could practically feel the heat jump to Maya’s cheeks. “N-no way!! We’re only nine!” She seemed a bit panicked. Eve felt a little bad for causing her friend such trauma and apologized, laughing the whole way. Maya leaned her back against the wall to calm herself down and huffed out a sigh.

The room door creaked open, revealing an older woman with the same light brown shoulder length hair as the girl sitting next to her. “Hello,girls!” she pushed through the door, accidentally tipping a stack of books off balance in the process. Maya and eve both greeted the woman with a wave. “Also, Eve...” Maya’s mother continued, “your mother wanted to tell you to go to bed early today. You’ve got a big trip tomorrow after all.” She flashed them a sad smile, leaning against the door's frame. 

“Woah, you’re going on a trip?! To where?!” Her eyes shined brightly with enthusiasm through her glasses. 

Eve completely forgot. She shared a look with Maya’s mother who gave a look of sympathy towards her way. She lowered herself to her daughter’s level and began to speak. “Honey, Eve’s leaving, for good.” 

Eve couldn’t watch as her friend’s face gradually changed from one of enthusiasm to one of saddened confusion. Maya turned towards Eve, “What does she mean?” 

The silver-haired girl took a deep breath. “My mom... I’m staying at her house in Finland.” She still couldn’t manage to look her in the eye, setting her gaze on a small bag of sliced apples on the ground. 

“F-Finland? But that’s so far away...” Maya began to pout.

“I... really meant to tell you earlier... I just couldn't get through to it...” Feelings of guilt and sadness swirled throughout her, leaving a choked feeling in her throat. 

Maya’s mother encircled her arms around the girls, letting them unleash their emotions. Eve could feel tears beginning to sting the corners of her eyes, she found it getting even harder to breathe. Looking in front of her, Maya was already sobbing, wiping away her tears with the backs of her hands repeatedly. Before she even knew it, she started crying herself, letting the first tears escape. She couldn’t hold it back anymore and the flood gates opened. The arms wrapped around her were a welcome comfort in this time of grief.

* * *

The dreaded morning of departure came too fast for Maya's liking. She was awakened by her mother shaking her shoulder gently. "Hey."

The girl opened one droopy eyelid before the other, wiping away the extra exhaustion from her consciousness. "Eve's about to leave now, why don't you see her out, yea?”, her mother whispered, just loud enough for Maya to hear. She wondered why her friend had to leave so early, the sun was just appearing above the horizon, giving off an orange glow. 

Maya had sincerely hoped that this whole situation was a prank, or a nightmare at least. Hearing her mother’s response confirmed her fear. A sense heaviness pounded through her head, probably from crying her heart out the night before, as she shifted her body upright and swung both legs over to the side of the bed. A much needed kiss was planted on her forehead. She pushed herself off the bed and onto her feet, following her mom out of the room and towards the hallway leading to the front entrance. 

Only one step from walking out the door was Eve, her dearest, and only, friend. She had special blue ribbons tied around her twin braids and was standing near her father, who had the same white hair. Upon seeing Maya, her face held an expression of melancholy. Right next to her left foot was Butterscotch, trailing her side against Eve’s black-colored stockings, leaving furry residue in her wake. 

The brunette walked to where her friend was and held her arms outwards, desperate to give a hug. In return, she could feel Eve wrap her arms around her in a tight embrace. It suddenly occurred to Maya that this would be the _last_ time she could see, hear or touch Eve again. No more sharing snacks, no more doing each other’s hair, and certainly no more reading borrowed library books together. In only a few seconds, the entire momentum of both of their lives would change forever. The same choking feeling from the night before took a grip around her throat and restricting her breathing. Eve gave a little squeeze before letting go for good. It took a bit more strength from Maya to do the same. 

The girl across from her reached into the pockets of her frilly blue dress, shuffling around until she pulled out a piece of paper. It appeared that Eve had a plan. Maya took the paper from the silver-haired girl’s fingertips. On the paper was what she figured was Eve’s new address and a rudimentary drawing of a flower, all in purple crayon. In instant she felt a wave of happiness overwhelm her heart, officially marking the tenth mood she’s felt in two days. Tears were trailing down Maya’s face, but not from sadness this time. She reached downward to carry their Butterscotch, holding the kitten close to her and moving her right paw up and down in a sort of farewell. “She hopes you have a safe trip,” she said through sniffles. 

Eve gave her a small smile, “Can’t wait to get my first letter!” Her father tapped her on the shoulder, signaling that it was time to leave. She waved the Yamato family, heading out the door next to her father, the suitcase following behind in close range. 

Maya ran to the living room window as soon as the Wakamiyas shut the door. She could see them packing Eve’s suitcase into the trunk before shutting it and stepping into the car. Eve’s face was pressed flat against the car window, waving to the brunette as she went out of vision, descending further down the block. Maya hadn’t stopped waving until the small car turned the corner. 

Maya’s father grabbed her focus by sitting on the couch beside her. He gave her a deep hug to comfort her, rocking back and forth with his daughter in his arms. “Come on,” he whispered, “we’ll make your favorite breakfast today.” 

* * *

By the time Maya snapped out of her deep thinking, the screen of her phone had already went dark. The only sound that could be heard besides the music pouring from her earphones was the ticking clock on the wall. Speaking of which, she pressed the home button to check the time. 12:17, huh. She had to wake up early tomorrow for drama club duties; perhaps staying up past twelve wouldn’t be a good idea in the long-run. Maya entered in the phone password, the phone making a clicking sound to signal that it’s been unlocked. Currently on the illuminated screen was the very image that triggered her daydreaming. 

It was a picture of Maya and her long gone friend, Eve, peacefully reading a book under the shade of an oak tree. An abdundance of dandelions dotted the lucious strands of green grass, matching bracelets, Eve’s signature twin braids, and the two girls smiling brightly at the photographer who Maya remembered to be her mom could be seen in the photo. Butterscotch, who'd grown quite a lot since the photo was taken, was cuddled against the crease of her legs. She never knew how a single picture could open so many old wounds. So many memories in a much simpler time. Even when Maya progressed well after Eve’s departure, her heart still longed for the excitement and tranquility of her childhood best friend.


	2. Chapter 1

Staying up late _definitely _wasn't the brightest of ideas, Maya figured.__

__She attempted to suppress a yawn which was slowly making its way out. Even before the day officially began, the minutes seemed to drag on and on. The lack of energy was weighing down on Maya's shoulders as she carried her book bag through her walk. Usually out of her friends, the brunette was the first to fall asleep at the responsible time of 8:30. On all nights except this one at least. Another yawn passed through her mouth. Apparently, it's an anomaly to most of her friends, especially Hina, who has the uncanny ability fall asleep 2 minutes before she has to wake up and still have enough energy to run two entire marathons. If you asked Maya, that was the true anomaly.__

____

__

The walk to work was lengthy and a bit dull, to be honest. She adjusted the fabric strap on her shoulder, admiring the scenery while she made her journey. Looking to the left was an apartment complex, a "For Lease" sign decorating its class window. To her right was miles and miles of city street and sidewalk, vivid with color from the afternoon sun as far as her eyes could see with her limited vision. Cars dotted the street, rushing past from one destination to the next. 

Maya let out a brief sigh, stopping at a corner to wait for the chance to cross the street. The building was just a few feet away and the steady beat of her heart was slowly quickening the closer she approached it. Earlier that day, the brunette received a call from her boss at the idol agency. He informed her of a new idol group that they were producing called Pastel*Palettes. The newly established group had spent weeks searching for a drummer fit for their image, yet were struggling to find a perfect match. And that's where Maya came in, she'd be their drummer for the moment until the band found a permanent member. Though she wasn't announced as the permanent member, she could still feel the slightest shadow of anxiety course through her veins. Yet the girl couldn't lie, she's a bit excited to star in a rookie group, it's been a guilty wish of hers since her youth. 

Once she reached the doors to the building, she brushed her clammy hands on her school uniform to prevent the handle from slipping from her grip. Working at this building for little over half a year made her feel fairly comfortable with her surroundings. The nerves still has yet to settle, however, as she made her way to the elevator. 

The trip to her designated room was filled with a barrage of thoughts. Most of her thoughts drifted around the people who she could possibly meet. Maybe they were all trainees? This was an idol industry company anyways. If that were true, she'd be the only untrained member, her expertise of instruments and the drums being her sole guide through her limited time as a member of Pastel*Palettes. How could she compare? 

Exiting the small boxed elevator revealed an all white hallway with a label "Floor 8" in front of her line of vision. The hallway was covered wall to wall in numerous posters of former and continuing idol groups. She observed a nearby poster containing a group of four women. The women displayed looked fairly carefree and comfortable yet letting off an aura of practiced expertise. In the midst of her analysis of the poster, she spotted the white door next to her. The top of the door frame adorned a different label "803". If she remembered correctly from the previous conversation she had with her boss, this was most definitely the room she needed to enter. The time in white text on her phone showed 3:58. There was no time to delay it now, Maya should enter before she crosses the thin line between on-time and late. She straightened her posture and readjusted the bag slung lazily on her elbow before twisting the knob to the room before her.

Upon opening the door, the scene before her contained a few other girls, all flashes of pink, blue, yellow and.. silver? Sitting in a chair closest to the right corner of the room was Eve. Her childhood friend, the one girl she assumed she'd never see again. Maya froze in place, not comprehending the sound of her bag dropping to the floor. The other people present in the room only looked on in confusion, but Maya could care less; not when Eve was finally back, adorning the same silver hair, the same blue eyes, the same set of braids cascading down her shoulders. She watched a look of instant recognition pass by the other girl's face as she stood up in a hurry. Her own legs were moving on their own, making their way to where the other girl was currently at. The next second, they were already enclosed in each other's arms. Nostalgia and a sense of euphoria surged through her, her heart beating faster each moment. It felt so good to feel Eve's embrace again, to feel the familiar whips of silver hair brush past her face and inhale the faint scent of flowers. She was so lost in the moment and would drown in this feeling forever if she could. 

"Excuse me for interrupting..." Both girls snapped apart instantly, though Maya still longed for the brief embrace to last a bit longer. But that emotion was just as quickly replaced by embarrassment as she realized the situation she was in. The other girls, her boss and other staff members looked at the two in bewilderment at the scene that took place just a few seconds ago. She looked for the source of the call, settling on another girl with blonde hair. Maya could recognize her anywhere, that was Chisato Shirasagi, child actress extraordinaire. The brunette faced the actress and acted as if nothing happened in order to salvage the last bit of dignity that remained in her body. "I believe we should begin with the meeting; I have another appointment to attend soon," Chisato continued, her formality shining brightly through each word she spoke.

Maya cleared her throat before replying. "I- I apologize." She let out a weak chuckle at the end to dispel a bit of the nervousness building up inside her slowly. "Hello, my name is Maya Yamato. I'll only be here for a short while, but I'll try to do my best." The girl bent over in a polite bow the end of her introduction.  


* * *

"I'm kinda disappointed Chisato-chan couldn't go with us..." Aya complained. Within only a few days together, the group of four had managed to become pretty close, minus Chisato. Maya wasn't too surprised; surely such a talented and sought after actress would have more important matters to handle than go to the mall with the others. But it seemed a little odd that all of her appointments, errands and events coincidentally took place on specific days and exact times that Aya proposed they all bond as a group. Just the other day, the girls of Pastel*Palettes planned to walk downtown together and check out the nearby shops. Politely, Chisato declined their offer, speaking of some meeting she had to make for an unknown role in an unknown movie. Maya watched as their band leader's shoulders slumped visibly, before straightening again in an attempt to regain composure. She recalled Aya replying with "I'm fine!" or something of similar nature, head tilting to the side and pink hair swaying. Despite the blonde's late notice raincheck, she insisted that the others go on without her. It took two more unsuccessful attempts for Aya to give up all together and follow through with her plans with the rest of the band. 

"I know right! Totally not boppin'," Hina said while crunching on a mouthful of fries. The group rounded the corner, continuing their conversation into another long walkway. 

Aya looked to her left noticing a small pet store, filled to the brim with small animals. "Ugh, that puppy is so cute! I really wish I had one of those!" she said while signaling to a little black dog sleeping in the window. 

"Where?!" Maya jumped from how quickly Hina turned her head. She rubbed the back of her neck, almost feeling the force of whiplash herself. Hina's eyes laid on the most adorable dog she'd seen in her life. Big, brown and playful, the dog was scratching its paws on the glass in front of it. The teal-haired girl couldn't contain a gasp. Maya could practically feel the excitement radiating off of the other girl in large waves. 

"Ah!" Maya turned in the direction of the sound, noticing that Hina was already an inch away from the pet shop, Aya in tow being dragged by the wrist. The girl was probably unaware of her surroundings, because she left the other two outside the shop by themselves. 

Eve turned towards Maya. "You're not going?" 

"N-not really, I'm not that fond of dogs," she replied, holding her arms close to her.

"I'll wait with you, then!" Eve sat sown on a nearby bench, patting the seat to signal for the other girl to sit. Maya walked over and gently lowered herself onto its false wood surface. Being here, with Eve, was completely surreal. This situation reminded her of a type of daydream she would have when she was younger. Yet unlike her daydreams, the first few seconds of their time alone was completely silent. Maya had no idea where to begin. What do you say to an old friend who's been away for seven years? Fortunately for her, Eve was always the more talkative of the two. "I haven't seen you in such a long time!" she says with a lively grin. And just like that, Maya feels at ease again, a sense of familiarity growing her heart. 

"It's really crazy! I thought I wasn't gonna see you again..." Maya started. She could already feel the beginning of a smile reveal itself, the muscles involuntarily pulling her cheeks upwards. "How was your time in Finland?" She was genuinely curious. Maya only knew until a certain time about Eve's experience in Finland. After the end of fifth grade, the girls became so busy that their letters were sent less and less until the flow of letters reached full stop. 

Eve's eyes lit up at the mention of Finland. "It was super Bushido!"

"Bushi...do?" Maya cocked her head to the side in confusion.

"Yea!" Eve exclaimed,. Perhaps she assumed that Maya understood what she was meant. "I met lots of new friends and even became a model for some time!" she declared proudly. The silver-haired girl seemed to have an idea since she began rummaging through her colorful bag for something. It also wasn't a surprise to Maya that Eve became a model. Her eyes subconsciously scanned over Eve while she was busy. Eve's twin braids were combined into a single french braid today, yet it still hadn't lost its healthy glow. Her face still looked the same from the last time Maya had seen her so many years ago, yet i had matured a bit. Her softened and round face from before had maintained its round shape, but sharpened just a bit. Bright blue eyes looked down at the purse, round and lined with long lashes. Eve picked her phone out her bag before rapidly swiping away at its screen. Moving down to her hands, Maya noted that they were slender and delicate looking, reflecting her position as a keyboardist. Overall, she was fairly attractive, in Maya's opinion. But was she allowed to think that of a long-time friend?

"Got it!" Maya heard Eve whisper to herself. She flipped her phone around to show Maya whatever was on the screen. It was a picture to be exact, of Eve and a group of girls from presumably Finland, all of them sported light colored hair, and all of them in various silly poses. "Now that I've been here for some time, I'm starting to miss them," she continued, her voice taking a more somber tone. "Anyways, how was Japan?" 

As for Maya, she didn't have much to share about Japan. Since Eve left, her life's been pretty uneventful up until now. She's made out well, balancing a steady group of friends, a passion for music and a position as backstage manager for her Haneoka's drama club. "Not much, life was a little average while you were gone." Suddenly, an idea came to Maya. She reached into her back pocket to pull out her phone. She unlocked it and began scrolling through her photo album settling on photo of Butterscotch from a year ago. The full grown cat was snuggled into one of Maya's old blankets. "Speaking of..." she said before turning the phone to face Eve.

The silver-haired girl audibly gasped. "Oh my god, I haven't seen her since she was a kitten, she got so big!" Eve had a look of awe on her face.

The two stopped their short conversation when Maya noticed Aya and Hina walking towards them, Hina having a saddened expression across her face. "Woah, what happened, Hina?" 

"I asked my sister to get the dog I was looking at, but she refused. That dog was really boppin' too!" Hina continued to pout.

* * *

Maya hopped onto her bed, laptop in hand. Settling it down, she went to Google first, the ultimate key to her answers. In the search bar she simply typed "Bushido". 

"Bushido. /boo-SHe,do/. Noun. The code of honor developed by the Japanese samurai.

Huh.


	3. Chapter 2

Through her peripheral, Maya spots Eve studying a trinket beheld in the clutches of her hand. The drummer, meanwhile, flips through a jumbled pile of graphic t-shirts. The now disorganized heap of clothing she was currently rummaging through used to be folded neatly and stacked to perfection, before the tornado of Maya’s excited hands ravaged through it. With guilt, Maya promised to herself to return the mound of disorderly mess back to its former glory. 

“Maya!” At hearing her name, the brunette’s ears honed in on the source. The silver-haired girl, now only a couple of feet away, carried the same mysterious object in her palm. “These look so cute, we could match!” She picked up the metallic object between her thumb and index finger. It was a bracelet. With each movement Eve made, the bracelet reflected light from the ceiling lamp. The bespectacled girl inched closer to her friend in order to claim the piece of jewelry from her grasp. She feels its cool surface, observing it closely. Gold and glossy, it fit around Maya’s wrist like a glove, as if it were waiting for her to wear. Looking at the keyboardist waiting for her approval, she figured the same for her friend. The brunette returns her gaze to the bracelet, noticing a tiny golden heart in the center. She subconsciously allowed her focused face transform into a smile laced with delight. She wasn’t sure why, but the idea of matching with the other girl evoked a satisfying feeling of pleasure. Enthusiastically, she agreed. 

They paid at the register, pooling their savings together to purchase the pieces of jewelry. Without missing a beat, Eve slipped it on soon after, looking for Maya to do the same. The drummer follows close behind. Just as quickly, the silver-haired girl interlaced her fingers through Maya’s. In an instant, she felt her seize its beating motion at once, then increase in speed all together. It took her by surprise. They did this type of thing all the time, except this time, it felt... different. A nagging feeling lingered at the back of her mind, waiting until the right time to reveal itself. The keyboardist, however, looked as if nothing was amiss. Maya wondered if she went through the same issue as well.

* * *

It was a bit embarrassing to be dressed like this in front of the other girls. She looked down again at the frilly and overdone dress she currently sported. Covered in bows, decorated ribbon and drowned in glitter, typically, this style of clothing wasn’t really her style. Perhaps, this dressed looked more like something Aya would wear instead. Peeking around the corner, Maya took a glimpse of her bandmates. They all wore the same style of clothing, each themed around their respective image colors. Seeing the sight comforted her, urging her to reveal herself to the others. 

Nobody noticed immediately since the girls were talking by themselves in a small group. But Hina, being ever so perceptive, spun around on her heel after hearing the other girl’s footsteps approaching. Her eyes widened considerably, elation shining through. “Wow, Maya! Your costume looks rockin’ on you!” The remaining members turned around to face the drummer, who blushed shyly from the sudden shift in attention. 

“Uwaah! You look like a true idol!” Aya praised. 

“Ehehe… thanks. But you’re the real natural here, the dress suits you well!” 

“How does it feel?” Chisato questioned, retaining her professionality. 

“It’s a little tight around my arms,” Maya said while twisting her arms front and back, “but other than that, it fits pretty well. Though, it’s not my type of thing, y’know?” She added a little laugh at the end. 

“But you look super cute in that outfit!” Eve immediately rebutted. She bounded over to where Maya was currently standing, snatching the brunette’s hands into her own. A familiar sensation of heart-stopping satisfaction pervaded her mind at the sudden contact. Yet by now, she was used to it, the same warmth that invaded her unsuspecting heart has been present for a couple of weeks now. 

Maya felt a shot of blood rush to her cheeks. “G-geez, I’m not used to being praised like this.” She couldn’t even look at Eve in the eyes.

“Well, I’ll praise you enough until you get used to it!” the other girl stated, leaning in close to Maya. The drummer felt her breath hitch in voluntarily.

“Y-yeah…”

* * *

“Hey, Chisato-chan?”

Chisato broke her attention from the dark road ahead of them. “What is it, Aya?” 

“Do you think… that Maya and Eve have something going on?” Aya continued. She glanced quickly from side to side, she was clearly a bit anxious asking this.  
The blonde lifted her left hand towards her chin in a pensive gesture, yet she didn’t need thinking to figure out her answer. She gave a quaint little laugh before stopping in her tracks. With a minute wave of her hand, Chisato signalled the pink-haired to lean inwards before revealing her answer. You may never know who may be lurking around the corner, waiting to start a rumor. Once Aya was close enough, she whispered, “Definitely.”

Aya released a withheld breath. “I thought I was the only one who noticed it!” The girls began walking onwards again.

“Really? Those two are so obvious, I’m surprised Hina hadn’t said anything to blow their cover yet.” She quipped. 

“Did you see how hard Maya was blushing earlier? I was worried that she would explode with how red her face was. She’s whipped!” Aya replied, her tone taking on a dreamy and song-like quality. In response, Chisato only giggled. 

Once again, the girls walked on in silence, only tuning in to the white noise of chirping crickets and the distant sound of car wheels on asphalt. 

* * *

“Thanks for agreeing to help me!”

“It’s no problem, you got this stuff down-pat now.”

Eve slammed the algebra textbook shut. She leaned backwards in a slumped position into her chair. “Thankfully the power of Bushido got me through it!”  
“Right!” Maya lifted her bag from off the ground and slung it across her back. “I guess I’ll be going now, it’s really late.” Truthfully, she wanted to do anything else but leave. She knew that Eve would most likely be at practice the following day as she always was, but her mind was praying that she could share one more moment with the keyboardist, if not only for a minute. She was unsure whether it was due to her friend’s sudden departure years ago or something else entirely. 

Before she could take a single step out the door, however, Eve called, “Wait!” Maya rejoiced to herself before turning around to face her companion. “We could watch a movie, or something. There’s no school tomorrow anyways.” The bespectacled girl turned her focus towards the window. A blizzard was bound to start any minute now, the first flurries of snow were beginning to rain down. Hopefully this would be the last blizzard of the quickly ending winter season. 

Maya all to readily placed her bag on the ground. “Sure!” Eve laughed, already making her way to the remote control laying by itself on the bed. It was such a harmonious sound to Maya’s ears, she could feel her heart palpitate in response.

.

Walking closer to Eve’s room, arms stacked with various drinks and snacks fit for a movie night, she could hear previews for upcoming movies playing increasing in volume as she approached. Eve had gathered a lone blanket for the two to share. Maya tried desperately to calm her nerves once she broke out into a cold sweat. Once again, movie nights were a common tradition for the girls. But the same bothered feeling returned to taunt Maya, to point out that something was off now. She still couldn’t put her finger on what was so ‘off’ about two friends hanging out. The brunette set down the snacks down on the bed, flopping belly-first onto the cushiony mattress. Finally, the previews ended. 

.

The pair wound up watching one of Eve’s period dramas. Maya had no objections, she thoroughly enjoyed viewing any type of movie heavy with special effects that she can admire. 

By then, the expected blizzard had finally set in, letting loose a whirlwind of snow, guaranteeing walking outside wouldn’t be the best idea as of then. Outside was covered in pitch black, only illuminated by a number of street lamps and small cliques of stars dotting the sky. A sheet of exhaustion swept over the girls, due to the time being close to midnight. Maya’s eyes threatened to close themselves on their own will. To her right, she could see Eve was suffering the same symptoms, even though the drama she selected was one of her favorites. The drummer smiled to herself, a sort of longing gaze evident in her face, but quickly diverted her attention back to the screen in front of her, just in case Eve would catch her looking. 

Seconds ticked by at a slowing pace; Maya’s body began weighing down on her, lulling her further and further into an unconscious sleep. Her thoughts centered mainly around the girl laid next to her. ‘Eve is so amazing…’

Her cute and quirky personality, kind smile... she could feel the tips of her toes curl through the socks she wore. The warm fuzzy feeling in her stomach surged throughout her entire being, only further encouraging Maya to continue her indulgent daydream. 

The keyboardist had a certain way of merely existing that caused her to draw closer to her, like she was a piece of metal attracted by the inevitable pull of a magnet. It seemed that the so-called “magnetic pull” transcended into Maya’s inner thoughts as well. She couldn’t stop her thoughts from spinning into a rabbit’s hole filled solely with thoughts of the same person. Her gentle yet firm hugs, her lips…

They looked soft and welcoming, like a set of pillows after a long day without rest. Each maintained a tinge of natural pink color, coated in a thin sheet of lip gloss occasionally. She wondered what it’d be like to kis--

Maya’s eyes snapped open abruptly; she was wide awake now. She wasn’t new to crushes by no means. The brunette truly understood the meaning behind the word during her unfortunate phase of affection towards the drama club’s resident star actress, Kaoru Seta, during freshman year. She shuddered at the memory resurfacing at the back of her mind.

The two were offstage shortly before the opening of the spring play at Haneoka. Kaoru sauntered over to wear Maya was standing, dressed head to toe in elaborate attire, in order to conduct a last minute check. Once everything was guaranteed to be operating successfully, Maya, poor, naive Maya, decided to take a leap of faith. While Kaoru already gave a farewell fit for royalty and turned to leave for her spot onstage, the backstage director called for Kaoru to return. The actress, looking reasonably confused for a quick second before returning to her casually suave expression, replies. “What is it my dearest little kitten?”

The brunette took a deep breath before going into a heartfelt but unorganized retelling of her innermost feelings, complete with stuttering, nervously fiddling fingers and a shocked stare from Kaoru herself. After finishing off her exclamation, Maya took another deep breath, finally relieved that the torture she underwent was over. She looked up at the actress, hopeful for her to return the same sentiment. 

Unfortunately, Kaoru’s face transformed into one of sincere apology and a pit opened itself in Maya’s heart. She couldn’t bear to listen to the inevitable rejection. Throughout the long and painful rejection, the brunette could only pick up on a few words exiting the other girl’s mouth. But as apologetic as the actress looked, she still managed to complete her statement with, “I wholeheartedly appreciate your gestures of unbridled affection, little kitten.” With a flick of her wrist and a flourish, she was gone, disappearing into the crowd of rushing students.

Even though Maya’s nerves weren’t as out of control as they had been during her freshman year, she still felt twice as foolish. It was so obvious!  
As if Eve had heard her panicked thoughts, her head rested itself upon the drummer’s shoulder. Maya’s breath hitched immediately, her heart repeating the quick paced rhythm of her drums during practice. She looked so peaceful, a complete 180 from her high-spirited nature during the day. Even if Eve couldn’t hear her thoughts, Maya sure pleaded to each and every god that she couldn’t hear her heart beating rapidly against her ribcage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok so i realized that i kinda need to get better at writing?? skdfjskfkhjk so now I'm tryna practice and all that to help this story live up to its intended potential.. anyways! i hope y'all enjoyed it, I've already began writing the final chapter :)


	4. Chapter 4

The last of winter’s chill ruffled some of the pages of Maya’s book. Desperately trying to to preserve her eye’s hold on the printed words, she clamped her hand down on the paper. It’s been a while since she gave her weary eyes a break from the torture of assigned reading. Reading was a favorite pastime of hers. But dragging through one boring paragraph after another was starting to take its toll on her. Maybe it was a time for a break; the sides of her head began to hurt. Maya took the opportunity to lean her back against the tree, extending her arms up way past her head. With a satisfied grunt, she lowered her arms back down to her sides. 

The weather outside was gorgeous that day. For being one of the first days of spring, Mother Nature must’ve really put her work in. The greens, yellows, reds and blues surrounding her appeared vivid in color, each complimenting each other perfectly. The drummer inhaled deeply, taking in the sweet and fresh scent of the afternoon air.

Ever since her moment of realization not to long ago, each color became for vibrant, in a sense. The greens, yellows, reds and blues showcased themselves on blooming flowers, each becoming more vibrant than the last. Even the dusty and damaged pages of the school-issued book cradled in her lap seemed to glow with its very own beauty. Along with that, the weird tingling sensation that bothered her for weeks solved itself miraculously, perhaps it was the hiding awareness trying to reveal itself.

Looking into the distance, her eyes focused on a pair of figures playing out in the open field. Well, as much as her eyes could anyways. She squinted her eyes to get a more defined view. Eve and Hina appeared to be wielding long sticks and crashing them against one another in some sort of sword fight. Wait, were those branches? That’s significantly more dangerous! In a moment of panic, Maya looked towards where Chisato was supposed to be. Until she remembered that Chisato went to the nearby convenience store for some refreshments.

She turned back around, now spotting Aya who was positioned in the broad daylight, attempting poses for the camera she held in her hand. The brunette had to laugh. She twisted her head towards her two bandmates again, just in time to see Eve use her hands to latch onto Hina’s “sword” and throw it to the side. She flung her hands up in victory and yelled what Maya assumed to be a ...samurai war cry?

Well, maybe that was a sign her break was over. However, she didn’t get the chance to take a glance at the book as she heard the sound of feet running towards her. Hina and Eve were running full speed ahead to the tree, laughing the whole time.

The keyboardist flopped to the ground. “Did you see me beat Hina?” she proclaimed proudly, scooching to the shaded portion of the grass.

“Not fair, you cheated!” Hina joked. She was still standing upright, folding her arms in mock disapproval.

Maya chuckled a little before replying with, “Yea, but please don’t play with sticks next time.” She looked off to the side.

Hina chimed in with an airy laugh. “We’re fine though!” The teal-haired girl stood up and twisted around herself in a full circle to demonstrate how seemingly not dangerous playing with sticks was.

“Sure…” Anyways, discussing the safety of sword fighting would have to wait for later. This book wouldn’t read itself! She refocused herself on the task at hand. With renewed energy, she skimmed over paragraphs at a time to get past that particularly grueling chapter. But just before her eyes scanned over the last few words, a mop of silver hair blocked her vision. That same mop of silver hair eyes full of unrelenting curiosity. The first thing Maya should’ve noticed was SUPPOSED to be the words escaping Eve’s mouth. Instead, her mind concentrated on the limited distance between Eve’s face and her own. Her eyes darted around observing each close up feature. _Wow, her eyes are so beautiful..._

“Maya?” The girl cut short her brief pondering at the mention of her name.

“Huh?”

“Are you feeling well?”

“H-huh?” Maya felt around the skin on her cheeks; red hot. “I’m good, I promise.” She waves her hand dismissively. Her voice was shaking a bit. Curse her nerves!

“Are you sure?” Eve answered. _Yea, I wouldn’t be too convinced either._ “You’ve been flushing a lot recently.” To her horror, the other girl moved even closer until her legs were on either side of Maya’s, straddling her. A tiny glimpse of her stomach revealed itself from underneath Eve’s shirt. She could feel a bead of sweat starting for form at the top of her forehead. It was all too much! Maya couldn’t even look her in the eye anymore, her gaze instead settling on Hina who looked just as concerned.

“I could ask sis if--”

“No, Hina it’s fine,” the drummer interrupted. She felt kind of bad, but she really didn’t need anyone adding fuel to the fire.  
Even worse, Eve lifted her the back of her hand to Maya’s forehead, swooping away the bangs that covered it. “You should get this checked out, your face is all red.”

“I-is that so.” She laughed nervously. This was the worst-best thing that happened to her.

“I’m back,” a voice announced. Turning around, Chisato stood to the right of the tree, a plastic bag wrapped around her forearm. If only things could get worse.

* * *

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Eve looked at her quizzically.

No, not this again! Maya held her hands outwards in a defensive position. “I’m not sick.” It’s only been a day since the last incident, her heart couldn’t take it!

Chisato stood by her bag, taking a swig from her canteen before setting it down on the ground. “Eve, she’s fine. We should get back to practice, we only have five minutes left.” Suddenly, Maya was unbelievably grateful for having the blonde in the band.

That brief feeling of relief only lasted for a millisecond before Hina opened her big mouth. With eyes shining with as much fervor as the sun, she said, “It’s ‘cause you like her right?”

All motion seemed to stop at once and time slowed to a crawl. Maya felt ice cold dread fill her body. Her head felt a little light. She read the expressions on her band members faces. Aya and Chisato both had varying degrees of surprise etched on their faces, yet Chisato’s held a trace of disappointment. Hina was still shining, as if she were unaware that Maya’s entire world was falling apart. Okay, maybe she wasn’t but still..! And Eve? The drummer didn’t know, a piece of yellow tape stuck to the ground looked particularly interesting right then.

“I asked sis and--”

“Hina.” The bassist’s voice was serious, catching the teal-haired girl’s attention. Hina’s face transformed into one of concern. “Could you come here for a second?” Hina followed Chisato out the door, closing it behind them quietly as they left.

Aya still hadn’t said anything, only fiddling awkwardly with the hem of her shirt. Maya glances at the clock, hopelessly attempting to distract herself from the girl standing a few feet away. It was 4:58. _Guess practice is over_.

* * *

Butterscotch purrs lovingly as Maya smooths over her fur. Petting rabbits is a common practice in therapy, perhaps cats had the same effect. Feeling the steady vibrations and the rise and fall of the feline’s breaths eased her mind from these hectic weeks. Butterscotch shifts her position, turning onto her back and pawing the air. _At least she’s comfortable._ , the brunette thought with a grin.

Each practice she attended post-incident seemed to be plagued with unbearable spurts of conversation and elongated moments of silence. She had no issues maintaining brief dialogue with the other girls. Aya was always a pleasure to be around, and Chisato’s down-to-business attitude and watchful eye provided for insightful discussion. And Hina was, well, Hina. But her conversational skills fell as hard from there as Aya did during dance practices.

Earlier that afternoon. Eve attempted to break down her protective barriers with a conversation about the cat. Maya, who still felt the sting of shame inside her, answered with a cut, “She’s fine.” The keyboardist waited for a more elaborate answer, but receiving no such response, she took her leave. Maya couldn’t deny, she has been feeling guilty for her distant attitude. But Maya was the only one stopping herself.

The brunette flopped over onto her bed, the exposed skin of her lower spine making contact with the wooden floor. The calico rolled over a second time, probably preferring a better spot to rest. Further expanding her body and arms in a typical cat-like stretch, she then slid through a small crack left between the door and its frame. Maya huffed out a side.

The more she chewed on this unusual situation, the more negative emotions seemed to latch themselves onto her. Lately, a vague sensation of guilt had made its appearance. Yet this wasn’t anything new. What was new, however, was the striking realization she had feelings for her friend. Her /childhood friend/. Maya knows that she should’ve noticed this a long time ago, but she’d been so caught up in the moment that the thought completely slipped her mind. Learning from every friend-to-lovers’ movie ever created, there were only two options for her if she did decide to own up to her feelings: Eve would return her sentiments and they’d wind up dating and that type of romantic stuff, or Eve could respectfully decline, possibly damaging seven plus years of friendship. Judging by how the girls only danced around the issue, the latter option was more probable.

Maya folds her fingers across her chest, sighing once more. She had come to terms with this reality ever since Hina exposed her. Despite her initial phase of utter shock, she kept normal relations with the guitarist, not once harboring any harsh feelings. It’s be foolish to hold a grudge, especially when the target of her affection probably didn’t feel the same. It’s funny, she’s said that she accepted this reality, but why did this reality hurt so bad? A thick lump of something formed at the base of her neck. She struggled to swallow, trying to relieve the pain stuck at her throat.

She flips herself over, pushing past a bag of potato chips resting beside her. Her phone laid still on the floor surface, Maya felt the sudden urge to check her social media. On Twitter, photos of some of the other band girls popped up: Aya’s park selfie, a picture of a meal Lisa had the other day and a screenshot of Ako’s NFO game. Whatever did or didn’t happen, Maya was perfectly content as she was. The familiarly warm atmosphere of her home provided plenty reassurance to her, even if both her stomach and mind were performing an intricate routine of flips at that moment.

The phone vibrates in her hand and a message flashes at the top of the screen. Maya taps on the message, having a mini heart attack upon reading its contents. It was from Eve; it read, “Can you let me in? I’m outside your house (´ ∀ ` *)”.

Maya dropped her phone and rushed to her window. Sure enough, there was Eve, standing by herself in front of the door. The drummer panicked a bit, she couldn’t go to the door looking like a complete mess. And the redness around her eyes was a bit off-putting at the least. She hurriedly replaced her night shorts with a pair of sweatpants, struggling to fit her feet into the holes. As she raced down the hall, she ran her fingers through her hair, hoping it’ll fix itself in the meanwhile. She swung open the front door, the silver-haired girl standing just on the other side. An apologetic smile made its way across her face before she stepped inside. Maya’s heart fluttered, yet the fluttering died out just as quickly. Eve slid her flats off at the door, the brunette refused to make eye contact. She was sure the mounting pile of shame would kill her before the rejection ever could.

They walked to Maya’s room, each sitting on the floor. The girls sat in complete silence for the time being, listening to the distant sound of the ticking clock. The drummer felt at ease like this, just sitting. At least it shielded her from discussing--

“About Wednesday,” Eve spoke, “what Hina said, is it true?” Her eyes held a degree of calm curiosity.

Maya was tired, tired of all this. She took a deep inhale to calm her shuddering breath. “Yes.” She looked towards the ground. Seconds pass by, Eve still hadn’t said anything yet. Maya doesn’t want to lose her friend again.

Maya feels two hands squeeze her own, forcing her to look up. Staring back at her were the same baby blue eyes, gorgeous and full of sincerity. They keyboardist reaches outward and before Maya could register it, she’s pulled into a hug. Arms wrap underneath her’s comfortably. She rests her head upon Eve’s shoulders, entangling her arms behind her back. The drummer could feel the tips of her ears beginning to burn bright. And they stay like that for a while, both members living peacefully in the moment.

And finally, the keyboardist spoke: “Me too.”

Maya’s eyes widened gradually. “I’m sorry what?” She separates herself from the girl across from her.

“I… like you too.” She was stuttering, an unusual occurrence from Eve. The keyboardist was blushing, easy to see through her pale face.

All of Maya’s heartbeats jumbled over one another, sending a mess of emotions running through her. She couldn’t contain the feeling of unattainable happiness burning through her from head to toe. The dopamine rush felt better than anything she’s ever experienced: even better than cozy tight spaces, even better than grabbing a water after an amazing performance and receiving a good night’s rest and hot chocolate on a snowy day and…!

Maya lets out a very shy giggle, rubbing the back of her neck. Oh god, she was so bad at this. Luckily, Eve laughs along too causing the drummer’s smile to grow wider with affection.

So they were a couple now. They could do couple-y things like holding hands, and kissing and going on cute dates to the roller-skating rink. She could already feel her nerves tingling with anticipation for the future. But there was still something she wanted to do.

“Can we... kiss?” Maya wanted to crawl into the floor out of embarrassment.

“Sure, I guess,” Eve replied, optimism in her in her voice. A hint of nervous energy could be detected too. At least she wasn’t alone on this. Eve was the first to lean in, her lips puckered outwards cartoonishly. Maya followed suit, still feeling extremely nervous. It took a while, but when they finally inched in close enough, Maya closed her eyes, just a little. And only the corners of their mouths touched.

It wasn’t even a full blown kiss, but it sent Maya into cardiac arrest. The corner of her mouth where Eve’s lips touched prickled with energy and was stained with lip gloss. She licked her lip subconsciously, it was strawberry flavored. The keyboardist hadn’t looked up from the ground yet, still blushing furiously.

Maya laid her head down on the ground, unable to shift her mind away from the warm feeling pooling inside her. It wasn’t like she wanted to, anyways. She felt slender hands card through her hair, brushing it to the side. Seven year old Maya could’ve never imagined this while she was talking to her first and best friend. To be loved by such an amazing and friend (girlfriend?) in her life. Living and loving together.

This was enough. And she was irrevocably happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow omfg,,, im actually kinda proud of this chapter?? uhh, so this is the last one for this story,, thanks to those who took the time to actually read this <3


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